On Wednesday, a gunman murdered 17 people in Parkland, Florida, which brings the country’s 2018 gun-death tally to 1,859. Feeling helpless and enraged? You’re not alone—and you’re not helpless. I spoke to Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, for some instruction on concrete steps the average citizen can take.

Make Gun-Safety Legislation Your Primary Issue When Choosing Among Candidates

“The first thing you can do is to commit to voting for gun safety,” says Watts. “You can educate yourself about where your lawmaker stands on this issue. Does he or she have an A rating from the NRA?” Gun-rights advocates are extremely alert to whether their reps are acting in their interests; gun-control activists must be similarly vigilant. For example: “Heidi Heitkamp, the Democratic senator from North Dakota, voted against background checks after Sandy Hook. So if you want to vote for her you’ve got to reconcile that [with your desire to vote in pro-gun-control candidates],” says Watts.

Follow the Money

“Number two is find out how much money your representative gets from the NRA. Rubio had some...interesting statements yesterday [after the school shooting in Florida], but he’s taken three million dollars in campaign contributions from the NRA.” Obviously no politician who’s funded by a gun-industry lobbying arm is going to prioritize safety legislation. Knowing where they get your money will make your reps’ priorities crystal clear.

Vote

“Register to vote and get your friends to vote,” says Watts. November mid-term elections are right around the corner. Rock The Vote will tell you how restrictive your state’s voting regulations are (automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, etc.). Contact your reps and let them know how you feel about voter ID laws, for example. Contact RTV, or Spread the Vote, or your local chapter of the NAACP to find out how to register and mobilize voters in your area. Other ideas for how to get out the vote? Leave them in the comments.

Force Candidates to State a Position

“We want to get candidates on the record [about their position on gun-safety legislation],” says Watts. Moms Demand Action sponsors events for volunteers, and they’re introducing a new tool for public accountability: a “gun sense candidate questionnaire” that volunteers for the organization will use to pressure candidates and representatives to put their position on gun safety on the public record. If they equivocate or waffle, says Watts, “oppose them.” You can find events at Moms Demand Action or Everytown for Gun Safety, its partner organization. If you don’t have a chapter near you, start one.

Run for Office

If there’s no one else, says Watts, “you have to run yourself. There’s a moral imperative to run for office right now. Any office, not just Congress—city council, school board, sheriff. Seventeen percent of 500,000 elected positions are held by women, and when women hold office, they create policy that more in line with gun safety. But we need not just women—we need everyone to run, especially people who’ve been harmed by gun violence...or any caring American who thinks they’ve learned enough about policy and is now ready to make policy. In November, 13 of our volunteers ran [for state and local office] and nine won. Over 400 want to run in future elections.”

Advertisement

Watts started Moms Demand Action on December 15th, 2012, right after the Sandy Hook massacre. Since then, there have more than 200 school shootings. This is a test of character for every person in this country. Enough of feeling helpless and enraged: pick up the phone, print out a form and walk over to your representative’s office, lace up your sneakers—and if all else fails? Run.